Roasted Chicken with a Papaya Glaze Recipe

Roasted Chicken with a Papaya Glaze

Recipe courtesy of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger

Watch how to make this recipe.

• Level: Easy
• Yield: 4 servings
• Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Serving Size 1 of 4 servings Calories 860 Total Fat 55 g Saturated Fat 14 g Carbohydrates 39 g Dietary Fiber 4 g Sugar 29 g Protein 53 g Cholesterol 202 mg Sodium 559 mg

• 1 (3 1/2 pound) chicken, preferably free range
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 shallots, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 ripe papaya, halved, peeled and seeded, 1 half thinly sliced and reserved for garnish
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, coarse stems removed
• 1 bunch watercress, coarse stems removed

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1. Rinse the chicken and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. Season it with salt and place it in a baking dish that fits it snugly. In a blender or food processor, blend together the orange juice, olive oil, brown sugar, and shallots until the shallots are finely chopped. Pour this mixture over the chicken, crumble the bay leaf on top, and cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or ideally overnight, turning and spooning the marinade over the chicken occasionally. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side down, and reserve the marinade. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Roast the chicken for 40 minutes, then flip it and roast for another 40 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, prepare the papaya glaze: strain the orange juice marinade into a food processor, discarding the solids, and add the mustard, garlic, half of the papaya, thyme, salt, and pepper. Process for 10 to 20 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth. Divide the glaze in half and use one portion to baste the chicken every 20 minutes or so. Once the chicken is fully cooked with no pink remaining, transfer it to a warmed serving platter and set it aside. Discard the fat from the roasting pan, keeping the pan drippings. Scrape the drippings into a small saucepan and heat over medium. Whisk in the butter, then add the remaining half of the papaya glaze and simmer the sauce for 4 minutes.
2. Garnish the platter with sprigs of parsley and watercress, along with the reserved papaya cut into long strips. Drizzle a little sauce over the top. Serve immediately, with the remaining sauce passed at the table.

c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved